More than 200 people watched as the students received diplomas and degrees from four programs – Basic, Ministerial, Licenciatura (Bachelor in Christian Ministry degree), and Lay Family Counseling.
Ten scholarships and one award were presented, recognizing top grade achievers and those making significant contributions to the Hispanic community during 2006, said Jorge Maldonado, CHET president.
The graduation ceremony was the 13th in the program’s history. The first occurred in 1994 when Javier and Connie Carrillo were among the first group of those completing the Ministerial program – they later graduated from North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS) with master’s degrees. They currently are involved in planting a new Hispanic church in Monticello, Minnesota.
The CHET student population has grown over the past 16 years to a level of 430 individuals in this year’s fall semester. “There are more than a dozen CHET graduates who are ordained by the Covenant and other churches,” Maldonado notes. Six Hispanic Covenant ministers have completed the Spanish-language version of the Covenant External Orientation program (CEOP) at the CHET campus.
Other educational benchmarks include the more than 60 students who have completed CHET’s Ministerial program, 289 students who have completed their Basic theological training, 102 individuals who have graduated as Lay Family counselors, and 24 students who have finished their Bachelor (Licenciatura) in Christian Ministry degree at CHET.
Three of the Licenciatura graduates have successfully completed master’s degrees at NPTS, two others are doing graduate work at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and one individual has started studies at Azusa Pacific University in California, Maldonado notes. Two other schools have officially opened their doors to CHET graduates, he adds, including Vanguard University (Assemblies of God) in Costa Mesa, California, and Brite Divinity School (Disciples of Christ) in Fort Worth, Texas.
“CHET is a well-recognized school for ministerial formation among the Hispanic Protestant community,” Maldonado says. “At the beginning, students mainly came from independent congregations, but now churches and denominations are coming to CHET for ministerial training to their leadership.”
He points out that the Disciples of Christ have five CHET extension centers – two in Los Angeles, two in Texas, and one in Mexico. A large and influential Charismatic congregation in downtown Los Angeles opened two classes with 46 students registered in each class. Two Baptist congregations (close to the CHET campus) offer the Basic program to almost 60 people.
“Pastor Alejandro Mendoza, a CHET graduate (Basic-1997, Ministerial-2001, B.Min.-2002) is the senior pastor of Iglesia Bautista Filadelfia in Downey, California,” Maldonado says in detailing the success of the various programs. “Since he was a tutor for the Basic program at CHET, he encouraged his congregation to start their theological training with CHET last spring. Twenty-six of his leaders responded. They are enthusiastically studying the second of the six-volume series, and four of them are seriously considering the call of the Lord for full-time ministry.
“I have seen the spiritual growth of those students – CHET courses have opened new horizons for my leaders,” reports Pastor Mendoza. From his church, Los Payasitos (The Little Clowns), some of the CHET students “preached the gospel during the graduation ceremony in a very unusual, but powerful way.”
Editor’s note: The top photo shows Pastor Roberto Ghione and his family from Simi Valley, California – he completed his Bachelor of Ministry degree. The lower photo was taken during the graduation ceremony inside the church.
